Meekness and Majesty

You know those moments when you read the Bible and it doesn't really sink in. You're maybe thinking about all the things you need to do that day or a conversation you had yesterday. Then you re-read the verses and something hits you full force. Well that happened to me this morning. I'm just starting out reading Revelation.

Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead,

and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood,

and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father-

to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.

'Look he is coming with the clouds,'

and 'every eye will see him.'

1.5-7

I've been feeling challenged to "contemplate the Lord's glory" (2 Cor 3.18) more and this is one of those passages which really does lend itself easily to contemplation. I wrote out all the things it says about Jesus. So, he is the :

• faithful witness
• ruler of the kings of the earth (praise God, that's such a relief to know considering world events)

and then astonishingly:

• he loves us
• he has freed us from our sins

How?

• by his blood!

And not 'just' that, he:

• has made us into a kingdom and priests (which was God's incredible promise to his people on Mount Sinai in Exodus 19.4-6)

Why?

• So that we will serve His God and Father.

The Lord Jesus will return:

• in the clouds and every eye will see him and Paul tells us that every knee will bow to him and every tongue confess who he truly is (Phil 2.10-11).

I love this picture of greatness and splendour mixed with the incredible truth that this Lord Jesus shed his own blood for people like us!

No wonder John twice in these three verses exclaims "Amen!"